Mandate Injunction

Faculty, Staff, and Students,

Last night, the United States District Court in Kentucky entered a preliminary injunction that prohibits the federal government from enforcing President Biden’s executive order for federal contractors and subcontractors in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio. As such, our exemption from the state comptroller that allows us to comply with the federal vaccine executive order has been suspended.
 
In compliance with the state law, we are lifting the mask requirement effective immediately on all UTHSC campuses and suspending the requirement to meet the federal vaccine mandates while the legal process continues.This includes all of our UTHSC-operated clinics that bill Medicare and/or Medicaid, and which may have been subject to the CMS mandate (e.g. Dentistry, Audiology and Speech Pathology, Physical Therapy, and Occupational Therapy). We will continue to follow the rules and guidelines of our partner hospitals and practice plan clinics when in their facilities. 
 
As new strains of COVID-19 continue to appear, I strongly urge all UTHSC employees and students who have not been vaccinated to once again consider getting vaccinated. You can find COVID-19 vaccines in your area at https://www.vaccines.gov/search/. Employees who wish to upload their proof of vaccination can do so in IRIS. The UT System has compiled answers to frequently asked questions and will continue to update these as we learn more information. 
 
I appreciate your patience as we continue to navigate this changing environment. We will continue to keep you updated as new developments arise.


Steve Schwab, MD
Chancellor